Cremation furnace



Sept. 4, 1934. J. J. BLEITZ CREMATION FURNACE 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 FiledNov. 22, 1932 INVFNTOR B/eiiz A TTORNEY p 1934.. J. J. BLEITZ 1,972,073

CREMAT I 0N FURNACE Filed Nov. 22. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 4, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE vl Claims.

My invention relates to a cremation furnace. More particularly myinvention relates to a cremation. furnace so constructed that two cremae tion chambers are provided, one of which provides for the initialburning, and the second of which provides for the final combustion ofthe casket and body.

Another object of my invention is to provide for firing below the casketand body, both in the a primary burning and in the final combustion.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for supporting thecasket and body during the final combustion, which means will withstandthe exceedingly high temperature obtained in the final stages ofcombustion, and will not form any substantial obstruction to the flamesenveloping the casket and the body.

Furthermore, it is an object of my invention to provide means to supportthe casket and body during both the primary and secondary stages ofcremation, which means will permit the flames to be directed below thecasket and will permit the flames to completely envelop the casket andbody at all times during the cremation.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for the entrance ofair used in the combustion of the casket and body, which means directsuch air at the desired places where it will most efliciently aid in thecombustion of the casket and body.

Another object of my invention is to provide additional means for thecombustion of gases, particles, or other products of combustion in thecremation furnace, thereby eliminating the usual disagreeable odors,fumes, and smoke which ordinarily escape thru the chimney in theoperation of the ordinary cremation furnace. I

Another object of my invention is to provide a cremation furnace whichwill cause complete combustion of the casket and the body in a shortperiod of time, using a minimum amount of oil, thereby providing for amaximum efiiciency and extremely rapid operation. In this connection itis to be noted that a cremation may be accom- 45 plished in my furnacein a-period of approximately 45 minutes as distinguished from thefurnaces heretofore in use where periods of time ranging from two andone-half to four hours were necessary to complete the cremation.

Also it is to be noted that the furnaces heretofore in use generally useahigh grade of hydrocarbon, such as diesel oil or distillate, and thatduring a cremation such furnaces consumed a supply of such hydrocarbonranging from 42 to 84 gallons. On the other hand, my cremation furnacemay be efficiently operated using to gallons of crude'oil for acremation. It is well known in the art that the price of crude oil isconsiderably less than that of the higher quality hydrocarbons, such asdistillate or diesel oil heretofore necessary to obtain the proper heatfor cremation. The vast difference in the cost of a cremation using myfurnace, and the time involved for such cremation are illustrated by theabove figures.

The above mentioned generaI objects of my invention, together withothers inherent in the same, are attained by the device illustrated inthe following drawings, the same being preferred exemplary forms ofembodiment of my invention, throughout which drawings like referencenumerals indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, with parts broken away, of afurnace embodying my invention. i

Fig. 2 is a sectional view substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa view in elevation showing the plate member positioned upon theforward, or operating, end of my furnace.

Fig. i is a sectional view taken substantially on line 44 of Fig. 1,parts not being shown for the purpose of clearness.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 55 of Fig. l.

My cremation furnace may be built upon the concrete floor of thebuilding, which floor is illustrated as at 10. Superimposed upon thefloor 10 are heat refractory blocks 11, which heat refractory blocks arepreferably positioned directly upon the concrete floor 10 until aposition in the furnace substantially below the foremost of a plurality,of supporting members 12 is reached. At this point the bottom of thefurnace which is composed of heat refractory maserial is inclinedupwardly as indicated by the positionof heat refractory material 13.Preferably a ledge or bafile member 14 for deflecting the flames ofcombustion directed from the oil burner 15 is provided below the forwardend of supporting members 12. From the ledge 14, the base 13' ofthefurnace, which is composed of heat refractory material, inclinesupwardly to the rear wall 16 of thecombustion chamber. The inclinedfloor of the combustion chamber may be supported as by bricks 1'7.

The supporting members 12 are in spaced relation to the heat refractorymaterial forming the bottom of the cremation furnace and are preferablyremoved therefrom by a distance in the matter of inches and may beinclined as illustrated. These supporting members 12 are formed of watercooled pipes or conduit members which extend laterally of the furnacethrough the side walls 18 and 19 of the furnace. The ends of theseconduits preferably extend beyond the walls 18 and 19 and are connectedtogether by a coupling 20, a U shaped member 20', and union 21. Byextending the pipes through and beyond the walls 13 and 19 andby the useof the fittings shown, provision is made so that the pipes areindependently readily removable in case that this is desired. Thesupporting member 12 is therefore formed of a continuous conduitproviding for the entrance of water or other ber 23 which is connectedto means for the disposing of the fluid (not shown). Preferably oneither side of the furnace are positioned air inlet'channels 24 and 25which air inlet channels are positioned below the casket supportingmembers 12 and which channels are provided with openings 26 and 27 onthe respective sides of the furnace. The openings 26 and 27 arepositioned so that air for the combustion of the casket is directed intothe furnace below the supporting members 12 and substantially adjacentthe. ledge or baflie member 14. Preferably adjustable doors 28 and 29are provided on the front of the furnace permitting the regulation ofthe air drawn through the channels 24 and 25.

' Ledgemembers 30 and 31 are positioned above the supporting members 12and the members 30 and 31, form a casket supporting means in the initialburning chamber. The initial burning chamber 32 is provided with walls33 and 34 and a dome member 35, which walls and dome are also preferablyformed of heat refractory ma terial. Walls 36 and 37 mayextend upwardlyfrom the side walls 33 and 34 and may be supported by a cross brace 38secured to the side walls by plates and nuts as shown at 39. Preferablysand 40 or other heatrefractory material is used to fill in the spacebetween the walls 36 and 37 and is positioned above the dome member 35.On the front of the furnace, metallic plate member 41 is sealed andsecured to the furnace. This plate 41 may support th swinging doormembers 42 which door members may be provided with draft members 43.

Within the fire chamber a smoke and fume consuming device is illustratedin the form of a wall 44, which is'formed of spaced apart fire brickleaving a plurality of openings each of which is surrounded by edges ofsaid fire. brick, through which openings the gases of combustion mustpass to reach the chimney or gas outlet means of the furnace; Apassageway 45 preferably connects the chimney or draft member indicatedby 46 to the combustion chamber of the furnace and provides for a downdraft before the gases of combustion can rise in the chimney member 46.

In the operation of my device the hinge doors 42 are opened and thecasket having the body therein, indicated in dotted lines and numbered47, is inserted into the cremation furnace on the ledges 30 and 31. Thisis preferably done by first inserting wooden rollers 48 and by the useof the same rolling the casket into the furnace. The doors 42 are thenclosed. Then a circulation of'the cooling medium through the conduit 12is commenced and the oil burner 15, which is operatively connected to asource of fuel oil (not shown) is operated. The flames of combustiondirected from the oil burner 15 are directed against the ledge or bafflemember 14 which spreads the flames causing part of the flames to risedirectly below the part of the casket adjacent to the forward end of thefurnace and part of the flames to be directed up the inclined floor ofthe .furnace and to envelop the remaining portion of the casketincluding that portion which is positioned adjacent the rearward end ofthe furnace. It will be noted that the firing is completely under thecasket and envelopsthe casket permitting free access of the flames forcombustion purposes. To provide sufficient air for the cremation the airenters the furnace through the channels 24 and 25, then through theopenings 26 and 27 and interrnixes with the flames substantially at theposition where the combustion of the casket and contents thereof occurs.The supply of air through channels 24 and 25 may be regulated by thedoor members 28 and 29 so that the proper amount of air for cremation isfurnished at the places where the air is desired.

The primary burning is had while the casket rests upon ledges 30 and 31.This primary burning consumes the casket, which of course does notproduce any disagreeable fumes. Also the casket is of an inflammablematerial and the burning of which increases the temperature in thecombustion chambers. At this stage of the cremation the bottom of thecasket gradually gives way and the body settles upon the supportingmembers 12 and is then positioned within the intense heating zone 49which is a confined chamber and provides for side walls in closeproximity to the body. The burning of the inflammable casket canobviously be accomplishedin any sort of a combustion chamber, as thematerial is highly inflammable. However, the casket is merely burned forsentimental reasons and is only useful as a means of conveyance of thebody into the cremation furnace. On the other hand, the body, which isto be cremated, is not of a readily inflammable character andconsiderable heating is necessary for the complete combustion of thebody. The supporting members 12, being water-cooled, will withstandextremely high temperatures and therefore may be of a relative smallsize thus offering substantially no obstruction to the flames andpermitting the flames to completely envelop the body.

The fumes of combustion of the body are within an intense heating zoneand a considerable amount of combustion of these fumes is caused whichis not hadin the ordinary cremation furnace. As only a down draft isprovided, the temperature in the combustion chambers rises rapidly andamong others the member 44 becomes intensely hot, the bricks attaining awhite heat. As the gases of combustion and particles are withdrawnthrough the member 44 and then through down draft 45 and then out thechimney 46, they must pass through the relatively restricted aperturesprovided in the member 44 having a relatively large wall area formed ofheat refractory material, which has reached a White heat temperature.Any fumes and particles which pass through these openings are completelycombusted in passing through said openings before they reach the downdraft chamber 45 and the chimney member 46.

I have found in actual operation that a cremation furnace constructedaccording to my invention may be operated in densely populated parts ofa city without disagreeable odors emitting and without any smoke orparticles being present to give cognizance of the fact that a cremationis occurring.

I have further found that by providing of a primary burning zone inwhich combustion of the casket substantially completely occurs and asecondary burning zone having a confined chamber substantially of a sizeto receive the body and having underfire in both of these chambers, thatI can accomplish a cremation in a time approximating 45 minutes. Thisprovides for a cremation within a time of approximately one-third orless than one-third of the time which has been heretofore generallyused. I have further found that the oil consumption in my cremationfurnace for a cremation is only a relatively small part of the oil whichwas heretofore used for a cremation. I have further found that cheaperoils may be used and a greater heat obtained within the cremationfurnace. I have also found that my device permits the cremation withoutthe usual disagreeable odors which obtain in the ordinary cremationfurnace, all of which result in economical, rapid, and emcientcremations not heretofore known.

Obviously, changes may be made in the forms, dimensions and arrangementof the parts of my invention without departing from the principlethereof, the above setting forth only preferred forms of embodiment. 1

I claim:

1. A cremation furnace comprising a primary cremation chamber of a sizeto receive therein a casket, casket supporting means in said primarychamber, a smaller secondary cremation chamber positioned below andhaving an upper opening in communication with said primary chamber, saidopening being of a size to permit a body to drop from the primarychamber thru said opening into the secondary chamber, means to supportthe body for cremation in the secondary chamber removed from the floorthereof and firing means positioned below the body supporting means inthe secondary chamber.

2. A cremation furnace comprising a primary cremation chamber of a sizeto receive therein a casket; casket supporting means in said primarychamber; a smaller secondary cremation chamber, having side walls ofsubstantial height and spaced apart at distances substantially equal tothe width of a human body, said secondary chamber being positioned belowand having an floor thereof; and firing means positioned below the bodysupporting means in the secondary chamber.

3. In a cremation furnace, a primary cremation chamber; casketsupporting means in said primary chamber for supporting the edgeportions of a casket in said primary chamber and leaving the centralportion of the casket unsupported, whereby a body in said casket maydrop from said primary chamber after the central bottom portion of thecasket is burned away; a secondary cremation chamber positioned belowand having an upper opening in communication with said primary chamber,said opening being of a size to permit a body to drop from the primarychamber through said opening into the secondary chamber; means tosupport the body for cremation in the secondary chamber removed from thefloor thereof, said means supporting at intervals the body and leavingthe body freely accessible to be enveloped by flames of combustiondirected into the lower portion of the secondary cremation chamber; andfiring means positioned below the body supporting means in the secondarychamber.

4. In a cremation furnace, a primary cremation chamber; casketsupporting means in said primary chamber for supporting the edgeportions of a casket in said primary chamber and leaving the centralportion of the casket unsupported, whereby a body in said casket maydrop from said primary chamber after the central bottom portion of thecasket is burned away; a secondary cremation chamber positioned belowand having an upper opening in communication with said primary chamber,said opening being of a size to permit a body to drop from the primarychamber through said opening into the secondary chamber; means tosupport the body for cremation in the secondary chamber removed from thefloor thereof, said means to support the body comprising a plurality ofspaced apart fluid cooled conduits for supporting at intervals the bodyand leaving the body freely accessible to be enveloped by flames ofcombustion directed into the lower portion of said secondary cremationchamber; and firing means positioned below the body supporting means inthe secondary chamber.

JACOB JAY BLEI'IZ.

